What Type Of Thinset To Use With Ditra

Improper coverage on tile / Ditra not filled correctly

Photo 1

I am non writing this to tell yous why your tile is cracking or why your grout is groovy – I have other posts that may tell you that. (Click on the pretty footling links ) If yous happen to accept Schluter Ditra equally your substrate, this post volition tell you why either ane of the above may be happening.

While Ditra is my preferred membrane for floor tile installation (besides as countertops and tub decks) information technology absolutely needs to be installed correctly. The two main techniques for this are fairly uncomplicated:

Make sure the cavities (waffles) are filled correctly
Install it over an approved substrate (and with the right type of thinset mortar)

Improper coverage on tile / Ditra not filled correctly

Photo two

There is a lot more to ditra than those ii items but if either one is incorrect I can about guarantee a failure. Meet photos 1 and 2 at that place? The tile was cracked and information technology was a direct result of a) not getting the waffles filled correctly and b) improper coverage on the tile. At present b may be due to not backbuttering the tile, an improperly-sized trowel, letting the thinset skim over or set as well long before installing the tile or but incorrectly mixing the thinset. All three of those things will crusade any tile installation to fail – whether yous use ditra or non.

Not filling the waffles correctly, though, will crusade the tile to not be fully supported and/or not 'locking' the tile into the ditra. Considering it is not correctly locked into the ditra you will lose the mechanical bonding properties of ditra and you lot may as well install it direct to particle board at that point (That was sarcasm – don't practise that!). For more specifics about exactly how ditra works you tin can bank check out Provaflex vs. Ditra wherein I describe exactly how the mechanical bonding procedure works – and rant about a item jackass. But the mechanical matter – that's what yous want to concentrate on.

You demand to use the flat side of your trowel and spread thinset in every direction over the ditra to ensure that all the petty waffles are full. Since the cavities are dovetailed (that means they go down and abroad from the opening) y'all demand to 'force' thinset into the lesser corners of the cavities. Only running the trowel over the ditra volition non practice this. Just running the trowel over the ditra did that (photos 1 and 2).

Improper substrate for Ditra

Photo 3

Installing ditra over an approved substrate is much, much easier. In fact, nearly every bare substrate y'all find in a modern house would exist considered an approved substrate – shiny linoleum is non 1 of them (Photo 3). While there are thinsets that 'say' they will bond to linoleum (and some of them volition) patently the jackass who installed that item flooring was not enlightened of that.

See photograph 4? I lifted that upwards with my little finger – literally! It was not attached at all. He may accept had right coverage beneath the tile and all the little waffles filled – I have no idea. In that location was not enough stuck to get enough leverage to tear one off and find out.

Improper substrate for Ditra

Photo 4

Most any plywood (even osb ) is an approved substrate for ditra. And if you utilize a thinset canonical for that substrate, there are no problems at all. Photos iii and 4 had an unapproved substrate and, apparently, incorrect thinset (and a shitty tile chore, but that'due south a whole other postal service). It was nearly guaranteed to neglect.

When y'all buy ditra for your installation every roll comes with a handy little didactics booklet. You can go to Schluter'due south Ditra Page on their website and access the instruction booklet (This link is a PDF!). They even have a wink video about the proper installation technique. You can leave a comment below and ask. Y'all tin electronic mail me. You tin can ship up smoke signals – I'll respond.

Given the 17 ways to acquire correct ditra installation information above at that place is absolutely never a reason to do information technology incorrectly. Ditra, in my opinion, is the all-time membrane for most flooring tile installations. The but time I've seen it fail is due to wrong installation. And that isn't just the common BS anybody accuses failures on. Me, personally, every one I've seen fail is incorrectly installed.

If you lot utilise ditra, and if you have an canonical substrate, and if you have the right thinset mortar, and if y'all fill up the waffles correctly, and if you use the proper trowel and get proper coverage it will not fail. Yes, that's a lot of ifs – when you read it. In practice information technology really is not that many things to get right. It'south just mutual sense, mostly.

And then here'southward 1 more if: If you take any questions at all about correctly installing ditra and using it for your tile installation delight, for the love of all the marble in the Sistine Chapel, enquire me below in the comments. I WILL answer y'all. I'g just super-absurd like that